Radio Free Silver Lake

Band Spotlight: Bishop Allen

by Joe Fielder

We meant to do a review of Bishop Allen's show at Spaceland a few weeks back, but in the haze of post-SXSW, it just got away from us. I caught the Brooklyn act in Boston recently and they charmed the pants off of me. Literally, I was like, "WTF?!? Where are my pants?!"

This might be old news to you if you're more adept at keeping up on national acts, but Bishop Allen are a frenetic blur of indie pop... imagine The Shins and The Decemberists in a blender on high... all smiles and enthusiasm, with generous use of xylophone and glockenspiel, and with the sort of energy live for most of their songs that others can only muster for their closing number. Their live show transforms many of their pretty okay recorded tracks into winners, making it well worth sticking around for their two or three song encores.

Great Northern Giveaway: Vinyl & More

by Joel Robinson

As a reminder to all, Great Northern's latest album Remind Me Where The Light Is hits stores next week on Tuesday, April 28th. In recognition of this, RFSL will be giving you the chance to pick up some solid offerings from the group.

One lucky winner will pick up: 1) A copy of the new album on vinyl, 2) a Great Northern tote bag, and 3) a copy of the Ragged magazine issue in which the duo discuss their own personal record collection.

To get in on the action of this contest, please drop a line to "RFSLjoel(at)gmail(dot)com" with your full name by noon this Friday, April 24. To hear Great Northern chatting live in advance of the upcoming release, catch them on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic this Wednesday, April 22, at 11:00 am.

We're looking forward to your entries. Best of luck!

Bite-Sized News: Ima Robot, Young Hunting, Lex Land

By Whitney Hawke

- Sam Fowles, guitarist of the local psych-rock ensemble the Parson Red Heads, was recently interviewed on Web In Front. Check it out.

- Ima Robot will continue its slow crawl out of hibernation by playing a show this Thursday at Bardot! The electro-mega-stars will be accompanied by the Dead Man's Bones DJs, and according to Ima Robot's Myspace announcement, "it's gonna be dancing and prancing all night don't fight it. and it's the 23'd which is timmy + jim carrey = mike Jordan. angels and demons y'all. shake that ass.
break it." Need we say more?

New Band Members Wanted

by Joe Fielder

From time to time, bands around teh Silver Lake area will mention to us that they're looking for new members, so we thought we'd compile a few of them into one post.

(Unfortunately, none are looking for singing robots or supermen...)

AUTOMATIC DRAWING

Diana -- "We're looking for a new guy to sing with our female singer Rachel, and one more person who plays an instrument or two (bass? guitar? keys?) Bonus points if you can fill both positions! We've been doing the indie pop thing for almost two years and are looking to get a bit more experimental. Email us for more info..."

MOVING PICTURE SHOW

Matt -- "We are currently looking for a female backup singer to fill out our sound. Tambourine shakin' or guitar skills are a plus!"

NIGHTFUR

Jason -- "We've been looking for a keyboard/organ player for a while! [And are] also are considering a second guitarist.”

TANDEMORO

Mike G -- "Tandemoro is looking for a keys player (preferably Rhodes or Wurlitzer, but will consider synth if they jump around and dance) for either gigs here and there or with the right fit, to join the band long-term."

The L.A. Show Low Down (Or "Now You've Been Working So Hard, Running In Circles, Like a Robot Shorting Circuits Like It's Set To Blow...")

by Brad Roberts

Our wandering music compatriots come trudging back out of the desert, brimming with tales of excess and deprivation. And I look forward to hearing them all. This photo may be from 40 years ago, but I think only the cars have changed.

   

Maybe it has nothing to do with Coachella, but it's been a period of almost non-stop 'have-to-see' shows as I notice I've seen eight shows in the last ten days. It's a great week to de-pressurize with some nice local acts.

We here, stuck in Los Angeles, were able to make our own little mini-Coachellas. Mine began on Thursday night, April 16, 2009, when I was lucky enough to have gotten in to see My Bloody Valentine at their secret El Rey show. Friday night The Karabal Nightlife, Nightfur and Kissing Cousins played Pehrspace for a rousing evening of fun with three nicely contrasted bands. Then came the second installment of 'Hella Hipster Hoedown' at the same venue which was sensational (especially the tap dancing!) and maybe one of the funnest nights of the year. Elaine Layabout was able to pack the place with the help of Leslie and The Badgers, Cobra Lilies, Mississippi Man and Roman Candles. I've rarely seen an happier crowd.

This week the focus is back on local music as The Henry Clay People continue a smashing residency at Spaceland. Aushua and The Voyeurs hit The Troubadour with Oliver Future and Saint Motel for an evening of highly cinematic indie rock. And the week ends with Classical Geek Theatre's Fiend Folio III.

Let's see what's happening in between.

Coachella Coverage Abounds... Elsewhere

Make sure to check out Classical Geek Theatre, Buzz Bands LA, and The LA Times for their coverage of/from this year's edition of The Coachella Valley Music Festival way out in teh dessert. (Hell, it must have been just about worth any conceivable hardship -- though, granted, we're just talking about hot weather, expensive water, and some meatheads -- just to see Leonard Cohen and Bob Mould play...)

Expect a write-up of the event by RFSL's own Jed Lowenthal later this week.

Interview: The Spires

By Jed

I recently had the opportunity to interview Ventura (not just the county, but the city) based The Spires over Gmail chat.  Band members Jason, Colleen and Catelyn discussed their upcoming album "A Way of Seeing", their alternative identity as The Velvet Underground and some new band members.

me: Am I talking to just Jason, just Colleen or both?

The Spires: You are talking to Jason, Colleen & Catelyn, our bass player.

me: Excellent. Which, I suppose appropriately leads to my first question... The first time I saw you, you were a duo, just Jason and Colleen. It is my understanding, that over the last few years you have added some new members. When did this happen? Why did that come about? Who are they?

The Spires: Catie joined the band last May or June (because we told her to). When she can't make it we have our friends Trevor and Seth, from Franklin for Short, sit in. We felt we had gone as far we wanted to with the duo. More people = more fun.

Coachella Line-Up Staff Picks

by Staff

You're going this Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday and you haven't had a chance to make your picks yet off the recently-released schedule or don't know all the bands.

Or you wish you could go to check out a volley of favorite and new (or new to you) acts.

Either way you swing it, we've got some suggestions for you from the members of the crackerjack RFSL staff.

JED:

Friday

4:05 PM: The Airborne Toxic Event. Missed all of their "post-superstardom" shows in LA and would love to see how the band's live performance has evolved since 2007.

4:20 PM: Los Campesinos: I really like the song about "There's red stains all over the place / They're not blood, they're cherryade."

5:20 PM: The Black Keys: I was unimpressed when I saw them open for Sleater-Kinney in 2004 or so, and I'd like to find out what I've been missing out on the last 5 years.

6:35 PM: Franz Ferdinand: Their Troubadour performance in 2005 or so blew me away, so I have to give them another try.

7:30 PM: Leonard Cohen: Greatest songwriter/poet of all time.

8:30 PM: Morrissey: Just in case "this is the last song I will ever sing".

9:05 PM: The Silversun Pickups: Never been disappointed by a live show and want to gather reasons why Ian Cohen from Pitchfork doesn't know what he's talking about.

10:00 PM: Paul McCartney: Because he wrote "I Will" and "For No One."

San Francisco Popfest!

By Marion Hodges

I have no idea why I am just know getting around to alerting the attention of the kind readers of Radio Free Silver Lake to this remarkable event.  Better to be somewhat late than to never get around to it at all though, right?  San Francisco Popfest will be happening during the (ahem) holiday weekend that is officially beginning beginning two days early on Thursday, May 21st. I can only assume that this is because there was far too much excellent pop music (not to mention FUN) to cram into a standard two day weekend, or even a very generous three day weekend! Surely you have been saving those sick/personal days for an occasion of exactly this magnitude, correct?

Oh, I see, you need some sort of explanation as to why this is an event worthy of your sick days, and travel budget.  Well, first and foremost, the list of bands playing should be incentive enough:

Video Free Silver Lake: Coachella Pt 2 & More

By Jed

The festival is only 4 days away. I've secured a place to stay, an air mattress upon which to sleep, an empty sunscreen bottle for which to sneak in booze, and a slightly less unflattering pair of shorts than the ones I wore last year. After I post these videos, take care of just 2 more days of work, and pack a few jugs of water, I'll be ready to go. Hopefully, I'll see you there.  The set times have been released, so dig up your highlighters, and get to work.

Again, here are more videos from some of the bands I look forward to seeing this weekend. 

1) Ida Maria (I recently learned from my myspace music employed roommate that this should be pronounced EE-da Maria) is from Norway, but now she lives in Sweden. The video for "Oh My God" off her album Fortress Round My Heart, has been all over the internet lately, but I like it enough to post it again. Interestingly enough, "Oh My God", is also the name of a Police song, and "Fortress Around Your Heart" is a song by Sting.  Coincidence? She'll be playing on Saturday at 1:30 pm., so get there early:

And oh yeah, this song was used as the intro for NPR's Planet Money (great show explaining the economic crisis on a day to day basis) on March 27, 2009.